Nebata Playa; The oldest observatory in the world in the heart of the Egyptian desert

Nebata Playa is a circular stone structure in the southern desert of Egypt, which is known as the oldest observatory in the world. This ancient complex dates back to more than 7,000 years ago and was built by a community of nomadic people. This structure was used as a stone calendar to observe the position of the sun and mark the summer solstice.

The ancient complex of Nebata Playa not only shows its creators’ deep understanding of the movement of celestial bodies, but also played a very important role in the daily life and agriculture of the people of that time. The discovery of this ancient collection by archaeologists has provided new insights into the astronomical abilities of ancient North African societies. Today, parts of this stone structure are kept in the Nubian Museum in the city of Aswan. In this article, you will learn more about the stone structure of Nebata Playa and its discovery method and functions.

What do we know about the stone circle of Nebata Playa:

Nebata Playa; Stonehenge Egypt

“Nabta Playa” is a rock complex in North Africa that is known as the oldest astronomical observatory on Earth. However, from the point of view of Western civilization, “Stonehenge” is more famous among the stone circles of the world; Estimated to be 5,000 years old, this prehistoric building and World Heritage Site of England attracts more than a million visitors annually.

_{Photo source: atlasobscura; Name of the photographer: unknown}

For many people, Stonehenge symbolizes the unsolved mysteries of history; But at a distance of more than 3,200 kilometers from this building and in the south of Egypt, there is another stone complex called “Nabta Playa” or “Nabta Playa”, which archaeologists believe is about 2,000 years older than “Stonehenge”. .

Nebata Playa is located about 1,100 kilometers south of the Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest of the three pyramids of Egypt, and about 96 kilometers west of the Nile River. is made This sect used this particular place to determine the summer solstice and the time of monsoon rains.

The mysterious discovery of Nebata Playa in the heart of the Egyptian desert

There are two accounts of how the huge stones of Nebata Playa were discovered; The first story is told from a Bedouin Arab named “Eide Mariff” who encountered these stones in 1973 while crossing the Great African Sahara. He then took his colleague and prominent American archaeologist Fred Wendorf to this place. However, Romuald Schild, Wendorff’s longtime friend and colleague, remembers the story a little differently. That same year, Shields says, he, Wendorff, and a team of archaeologists spotted the stone remains while crossing the desert and stopping to rest.

_{Photo source: x.com; Name of the photographer: unknown}

Stargazing 7,000 years ago; Nebata Playa Astronomical Calendar

The historical monuments and stone tablets of Nebata Playa were built over the years by nomadic people who passed through this area for thousands of years. The most important structure among these works is the calendar stone circle, which consists of four pairs of large stones and a set of smaller stones.

According to “Wendorff”, “Shield” and the team of archeological diggers, these stones are somehow aligned with the stars. Also, in a research published in 2007 about this stone collection, astronomers and archaeologists confirmed that these stones are probably related to the stars of Arrow or “Sirius”, Samak Rameh (Guardian of the North) or “Arcturus”. The star system “Alpha Centauri” and “Orion’s Belt” are aligned.

_{Photo source: the-past; Name of the photographer: unknown}

Preservation of the historical monument of Nebata Playa in the museum

After the first study was published in 1998, tourists and visitors who were able to locate the stone circles began to destroy the stones and move some of them, which changed their alignment. While before this incident, this area had remained untouched and pristine for more than 5,000 years.

Now, the stones (including a statue of a cow) are on display at the Nubian Museum in Aswan, Egypt; Where visitors can observe this historical monument from a safe distance.

_{Photo source: thearchaeologist; atlas obscura; flickr; Name of photographer third from right: Paul Ealing}

What do you know about the Nebata Playa stone collection? Have you ever traveled to Egypt or seen this ancient structure up close? Please share your valuable opinion with Kajaro and its companions.

_{Cover photo: Big and small stones of Nebata Playa; Photo source: Alamy Stock Photo; Photographer’s name: Mike P Shepherd}